


we have everything we need

by Felurian



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Action/Adventure, Canon Rewrite, Fix-It, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force-Sensitive Finn, M/M, Rewrite, Rey Skywalker, Spoilers, with other character than in TLJ!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-16
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-02-15 16:57:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13035459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Felurian/pseuds/Felurian
Summary: (to burn the first order down)Resistance's fire won't die easily. Rey finds the mythical Jedi Master, Luke Skywalker, and the secret he has taken with him. As she struggles to accept the truth, Finn learns of a power he never knew he possessed. With help of Leia Organa, he tries to understand it, planning to take the First Order down together with Poe Dameron and Rose Tico.The tale of heroes and villains, light and darkness."You cannot deny the truth that is your family."TLJ rewrite [SPOILERS]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i have no idea how often this will update but i'll try my best! i kinda hate myself for doing this but oh well. had to.  
> (romantic relationships won't be main focus of this fic but they do play a role, just not a big one!)

Rey waits.

She stands in front of the man from the myths and all she can think about is how sad he seems. With pain in his blue eyes, he appears  defeated. Much more than she'd expect Luke Skywalker, the hero, to be.

There's something strange hanging in the air between them as they stare at each other. Rey can't decide whether she wants it to be gone or give in. The lightsaber in her hand seems to weight more than it should. She hears the waves crashing on the rocks around the island and suddenly, she can't stand this silence. A part of her wants to break it, say something, _anything_ but she finds that she can't.

So she waits.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, Luke reaches for the lightsaber. His hand shakes as it touches the silver hilt and he takes it away from her, watching the unignited weapon with furrowed brows.

Rey wonders what he's thinking about now. She knows what's on her mind whenever she feels the cold, smooth surface underneath her fingers: Starkiller. The pure, uncontrolled power underneath her skin. She almost shivers at the memory.

"I haven't seen this thing in a long time," Luke says quietly, still managing to startle her.

He looks away from the lightsaber, back at her, but the sadness isn't gone from his gaze.

"Who are you?"

The question, though simple, feels like it holds unexplained weight to it.

Thankfully, Rey has an answer already prepared. "I'm Rey, I'm from the Resistance. Leia sent me."

A strange look appears in his eyes. He regards Rey for a moment.

And then, as if nothing ever happened, he goes past her and begins to walk down the stairs, robes fluttering behind him.

Rey remains stunned, unable to comprehend the situation. Then, confused, she calls after him. "Master Skywalker?"

He doesn't turn around, nor does he acknowledge her in any way, still climbing down. There's both annoyance and anger rising in Rey but she pushes them away; she has a mission to complete and she's not going to give up until she fulfils it.

Nobody said it was going to be easy.

 

* * *

 

 

Finn wakes with a scream.

It's Rey's name on his lips as he comes to his senses. He trashes around in the unfamiliar surroundings and thrusts his hand up to open the capsule engulfing him. Why is he in a healing pod? Where is he?

_Where's Rey?_

He stands up and the action makes his head spin. The bacta suit gets disconnected from the pod, Finn can hear the tubes ripping away. An alarm goes off but he pays no attention to it, trying to steady his wobbling feet. He needs to find Rey. Is she okay? Is she even still _alive_?

A shiver runs down his spine at the memory of the snowy forest on Starkiller. He remembers the ominous red light illuminating Kylo Ren's face, the way he threw Rey into the tree as if she was nothing. Finn used to fear this man, when he still wore his white armour, but then? There was nothing but the want to hurt him, as he hurt Rey. He wanted revenge.

The door slides open and for a second, Finn feels panic rising in him. He calms down upon the sight of an out-dated medical droid entering the room, however. This is no First Order facility, that he's sure of.

Resistance must have found him.

"Sir, please lay down, you have been under induced coma for _—_ "

"My friend," Finn cuts the droid off, his voice raspy. "I need to find my friend."

If the droid could sigh, Finn thinks it would have, judging by the stretching moment of silence.

"I have no idea what friend you would be referring to, sir. Please, lay down, I need to examine you."

Finn doesn't budge from the spot he's standing on. He might be dizzy alright, but he's not getting on a stupid bed until someone tells him what, for the Force's sake, is going on.

"Her name is Rey. About as tall as me, wears her hair up in three buns. Has a staff," he says.

The droid doesn't comment but it moves to the console on the wall and punches few of the buttons. They blink repeatedly in response.

"I've notified the Command that you're awaken, sir. Someone will come to fill you in. Meanwhile, you should lay on your bed so I can examine you."

Finn stares at the droid for few moments longer. He could just move past him... but the dizziness is getting stronger and that definitely won't help in unfamiliar surroundings. Begrudgingly, he follows its request, hoping that Rey is alright, somewhere, somehow.

She has to be.

 

* * *

 

 

Poe lets out a breath of relief, landing his X-wing.

His heart is still thumping wildly, the rhythmical beating deafening to his ears. They're safe, for now at least. The majority of the Resistance is there, fleeing from the First Order, yes, but _alive_.

He hops out of the cockpit, a little dazed. BB-8 chirps something at him as its lowered to the ground but Poe doesn't really hear much, responding with a dismissive "yeah, buddy, sure". Sweat trickles down his neck as he watches other pilots greeting their friends, superiors, lovers. All of them weary, some scared but most happy.

For now.

There has been a fleeting moment, back up in the sky, when Poe wanted more. He saw the Star Destroyer and he wanted more. To see it fall down, to crash on the ruined base on D'Qar. As much as sweet would that sight taste, though, it wasn't worth it. There's nothing more that he wants than to win this war, to peace reign in galaxy once again but not at the cost of unnecessary loses. The time to strike will come and they'll be ready. Now, they must focus on getting everyone to safety.

Shaken as he still is, Poe can't help but smile at the sight of Lieutenant Connix running across the hangar. Next to her X-Wing stands Jessika Pava, a grin on her face as she envelops Connix in a tight hug. It's a sweet, intimate moment and Poe looks away, not wanting to intrude their reunion.

Some young soldier runs up to him, red-faced and out of breath.

He comes to stop right in front of him and salutes. "Commander Dameron! General Organa has been asking for you—"

Poe nods, his expression becoming serious.

"I'll be right there, cadet."

"No, wait! General said to tell you that your friend, uh, Finn?" The cadet stutters, his brows scrunched together.

Poe stops dead in his tracks, breath catching in his throat upon hearing Finn's name.

"What is it? What about him?" He inquires. The cadet stares at him, wide-eyed.

"He's awake, sir! General asked you to see him as soon as possible."

The grin that grows on Poe's face is threatening to split it in half. He feels relief washing over him and without another look at the kid in front him, takes off to the medbay, BB-8 rolling right behind him and beeping.

Finn's _awake_.

(Which, apparently, is something that BB-8 has been trying to inform him about since they landed, his companion tells him, almost offended in his beeps. Not that it matters now).  


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's the update! i feel like the story might be moving kind of slow in this piece but i'd really rather focus on relationships of different characters tbh :') this chapter is more for finn and poe, next will be big for rey and luke!

Rey descends the stairs both confused and hurt. She knew that convincing Luke Skywalker to return won't be an easy task — Leia told her that much — but she didn't expect him to straight-up ignore her. It's frustrating. When they stood on the hill, facing each other, she felt as if there was something. A strange familiarity of sorts.

Not that it makes any sense, Rey knows that. There's nothing that connects her to Luke, the legendary Jedi. Before leaving Jakku, before Finn came running into her life, she didn't even know he was real.

The Force has a strange sense of humour, it would seem.

The silhouette of Luke on the horizon grows smaller as Rey suddenly finds herself coming to a stop. She can't answer why she's stopping but there's some kind of a pull, something which causes her to turn around. Her surroundings look the same, yet something has changed. She can't describe it. Whether it's the air, or the way that sun is hitting her face — it's not right, it doesn't fit the calmness and wilderness of Ahch-to.

Someone is calling her name.

She frantically looks around but there's nothing. Not a living soul in sight, not even one of the small, strange creatures she's seen on her way up. But Rey is certain that she's heard it, loud and clear, almost as if...

 _Finn_.

It's not obvious _how_ she knows it's him, but she does. Rey is as sure of Finn's awakening as she is of the stone path beneath her feet. A smile grows on her face and she unconsciously reaches in her pocket, where tucked away is the beacon which will allow her to find the way back to the Resistance.

Finn is awake.

With that knowledge, she finds a new wave of determination. She doesn't want to dwell on how she was able to hear Finn calling her name, not yet at least. Instead, Rey picks up her pace, realizing that she can't see Luke anymore. With the knowledge of Finn being awake — and well, for which she can only hope — she wants to convince Luke that he should return even more.

She makes her way into the small village she passed before.

"Master Skywalker?" Rey calls out. Her only answer is silence.

She feels irritation rising in her. Then her attention is caught by a movement. Doors to one of the huts are wide open, swinging only slightly in the wind.

Cautiously, Rey approaches the hut. She peers inside, to see a humble room with a bed and furnace. On the opposite of the doors stands Luke, looking out of the window, his back turned towards her.

"Well, come on in. No sense in standing there."

She steps inside.

 

* * *

 

 

When Poe runs into the medbay, having bumped into at least three persons along the way, he's almost out of breath. A medical droid turns around to look at him but doesn't make a comment, returning back to its work. The corridor is swarming with patients, people injured in the evacuation of D'Qar being brought in, doctors trying to treat them where they stand. While the number of casualties is still high, Poe knows it could have been much worse.

At his feet, BB-8 beeps excitedly and nudges Poe to move forwards with its head. He smiles, still shocked — he can't believe Finn is already awake — and tries to catch attention of an older nurse.

"Hey, excuse me, do you know where—"

She cuts him off. "Are you injured?"

"Huh? Oh, no, I'm just here to find my friend," he replies. She looks at him sternly and shakes her head, already turning to another patient.

"Sorry, can't help you then. We have our hands full, I'm sure you can see that. Ask one of the droids, they will tell you."

Poe nods and murmurs a "thank you", even though she's not looking at him anymore. He glances around, trying to find himself in this chaos. The droid which was examining him before is nowhere in sight but he has another idea. He kneels next to BB-8, wanting to ask if it can find the information in the database, when someone bumps into him, making him lose balance.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there," a voice exclaims. Poe looks up to find a girl standing over him, worried expression on her face. Her eyes are red, as if she's been crying and wiping the tears away with her sleeve.

"No worries!" He assures her, standing up. Realization hits him. "You're Mechanic Tico, right? Paige's sister?"

Her eyes widen as she stares at him.

"Yeah, that would be me," she replies, glancing sideways.

She must be here because of Paige, Poe thinks. Her sister has been injured in an explosion and frankly, he finds it to be a miracle that she managed to survive. He likes to think that the Force must have been on her side (Snap would tease him about it, but he won't change his mind).

"They, uh, commed me because of Paige," she suddenly says. "I didn't even know she got hurt."

There's vulnerability in her voice and Poe suddenly remembers that Rose doesn't have anyone else in the Resistance. Paige told him their parents have been killed long time ago.

"Hey, she's gonna be fine. Paige is a tough one," he tells her.

Rose gives him a teary smile. He knows those are empty words but he means them; while he hadn't had the opportunity to work much with Paige, all of their encounters assured him of her strength. In his mind, there's no room for doubt.

"Commander Dameron?"

Poe whips his head around at the sound of mechanical voice. A medical droid stares at him across the corridor.

"Yes?"

"I've been informed of your arrival and been told to show you the way to Mr. Finn. Follow me, please."

He glances at Rose, who smiles at him and nods. It's all the encouragement he needs to take after the droid, a spring in his step.

 

* * *

 

 

When the door slide open and Poe steps in, Finn almost laughs. To finally see a familiar, friendly face — it's more than he could ask for. He feels his anxiety slowly melting away, though the concern for Rey is still with him.  

There aren't many things he's been sure of since running from the First Order, but he knows where his allegiances lay. And that's wherever Rey and Poe are.

"Finn!" Poe exclaims, walking up to him with a beaming smile on his face. "It's so good to see you awake."

Excited beeping follows his words and that's when Finn notices BB-8 rolling towards his bed. He can't help but smile, and gestures for Poe to sit on the edge of the bed.

"You must have a thousand questions," Poe says the moment that mattress dips under his weight.

Finn nods, serious.

"I do. What happened with the Starkiller? Where am I?" He asks. Then, before Poe can reply, he adds the question that's been troubling his mind since he's awaken, his voice much quieter, "Where's Rey?"

Poe's grin falters and for a second, Finn feels his heart stop. Rey couldn't possibly be...? Even in his thoughts, he can't bring himself to say that.

His internal anguish must show on his face, because Poe immediately comes with answers. "Rey is fine. It's kind of a long story, actually. But, uh, she's away on a mission now. Sorry."

He seems almost apologetic as he reveals this information, but it doesn't matter for Finn, who feels like a great weight has been lifted off his chest. Rey's fine. She's not there, but she's alright, somewhere. That's all that matters.

Seeing Finn's smile return, Poe continues. "Starkiller was destroyed thanks to you guys. That was three standard days ago. First Order tracked us when we were coming back to D'Qar and we had to evacuate. We're currently searching for a safe planet to set up a temporary base."

Finn tries to process all of the information given to him. He thinks that he should feel more conflicted about the fall of Starkiller — after all, he used to _live_ there. The soldiers who died upon its destruction weren't some nameless troopers but people he knew. Maybe he shared the barracks with some of them. Maybe they grew up together in the system.

The shame doesn't come, though. Nor does the sadness. He feels a pang of pity, somewhere deep down, but that's it. Finn knows it had to be done, knew so even before he left the First Order.

"What about Ren? Is he dead?" The question slips off his tongue almost automatically.

Poe winces and Finn already knows the answer. It'd be too good to be true, he supposes, to see this monster defeated as well.

"Sorry, buddy. Wish I could tell you that. I heard that your friend Rey left him a nasty scar, though."

Finn gapes at him. "She what?"

"Oh, she kicked his ass, apparently. That's why General Organa sent her after Luke Skywalker," Poe says, grinning. Then he frowns, as if he remembered something. "Actually, that's only part of the reason, but she doesn't want to tell anyone what's all of this about. Some secret, mythical Force kind of thing, I guess."

He's sort of rambling now and Finn smiles softly. The fact that they actually found Luke Skywalker — _the_ Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight, Rebellion general and war hero, a man who's painted as the biggest traitor in First Order's datapads — and that for some reason, Rey went away to find him is kind of overwhelming right now, but he also feels calmer than before.

"Poe?" He asks and Poe trails off immediately, the subject of First Order on their feet abandoned.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks," Finn says, sincere. "For coming here, I mean. I appreciate it."  

A smile grows on Poe's lips. BB-8 beeps something at him but he shakes his head.

"No need to thank me." BB-8 makes another beeping sound and for a moment, Finn could swear a blush creeps up on Poe's face. "I'm just glad that you're okay."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the slowest plot in the world but who cares! i just want to write about the main trio developing relationships with other characters :')   
> also, we're here just in time for the nye! happy new year everyone and i'll see you in 2018 <3

"Normally, we would assign you a room, but the circumstances are a bit unusual so I'm afraid this will have to do."

Finn smiles as he follows Poe to his quarters. He's been apologizing for the fact that they'll have to share a room, for now at least, the entire way from the medbay but the truth is, Finn doesn't mind. In fact, he's almost relieved. It's easier than being alone and it's familiar — he used to share his bunk with other troopers before. While in the last days all things that were reminders of the First Order settled him off, Finn's not complaining about this.

He'd rather have company, especially of someone he trusts.

They pass countless soldiers, some of whom nod at Poe and greet Finn. He's shocked to see that there are people who not only recognize him but also take a moment to say a few kinds words. Thank him, even. Poe only smiles as he listens, eventually breaking them off and telling that Finn needs his rest still (which, technically speaking, is a lie because he's cleared for duty now). He's glad for that, though. The idea of being a hero — Resistance's hero, on top of that — is confusing. Him, a stormtrooper? He ran away from that life, sure, but it's not likely he actively sought the Resistance. It just kind of happened.

"We're here."

Poe stops before one of the doors and punches a code into a console. It opens swiftly, revealing a tiny cabin with a bunk bed. The inside is mostly empty besides the bed and a desk, with a duffel bag thrown on the ground. Finn suspects that Poe didn't even have a chance touch the bed yet.

"Right. So, first, I guess we should find you something to wear, yeah?" Poe gestures at him with a smile. Finn is still in a robe from the medbay, which, while definitely comfortable, isn't a good choice for running around a warship.

"Yeah, that'd be good."

Poe leans down to his bag and starts rummaging through its contents.

"I'm really sorry about all that by the way, usually we're much more organized. I'll try to get you your own stuff once we get everything sorted out but for now, maybe that will do?" He hands over few items of clothing, including dark pants and a shirt, one Finn is pretty sure he's seen on Poe before.

"Thanks and really, don't worry about it. I get it. So, uh, is that the fresher...?" He gestures towards a door on his right.

"Oh, yeah, sure! You can get changed there. Of course."

Poe seems almost flustered and Finn smiles. He nods and retreats to the fresher, which is smaller than he expected but still just enough place for him to change.

Getting out of the robe is an easy task; getting dressed, however, suddenly becomes difficult. Finn feels the stretch of the freshly healed skin on his back as he puts on a shirt. He winces at the burning sensation. It's not like he didn't expect any repercussions of the duel with Kylo Ren after waking up but the pain is distracting. He rolls his shoulders and sighs when the feeling passes for a bit.

The clothes that Poe gave him suit good, Finn thinks, looking into the mirror. Seeing himself not in white or black of a stormtrooper still feels strange, though he thinks that with time, he could get used to it.

When he emerges from the fresher, Poe is sitting on the bed and listening to BB-8. He looks up at the sound of Finn entering the room, a smile blooming on his face.

"Looks good! Now, there's only one thing missing."

He reaches for something behind him, much to Finn's confusion.

"I know this isn't the best job and I definitely understand if you'd rather wait for a new one but, just in case you'd like it back..."

Poe hands him over a bundle of leather. Slowly, Finn unfolds it and when he realizes what is it, he feels a lump rising in his throat.

"You fixed it? For me?"

He runs his fingers over the worn-out leather. The jacket, which has already seen better days, is unmistakably the one that Poe gave him before. Where the lightsaber burned through it, there are metal staples, holding it together. Poe's right — it's not the best job and yet, it's perfect.

"Well, fixing is a bit of a stretch, I really don't know much about sewing, but I know how to fix ships so I thought to myself, hey, maybe, if you can staple parts of the ships I could try this with a jacket?" Poe rambles as Finn continues to feel the material in his hands. "I know it doesn't look good, so you can definitely throw it out and we'll get you a new jacket—"

"No," he cuts him off, voice hoarse. "It's perfect."

"Oh."

Poe suddenly falls silent. He looks to the floor and then back to Finn, a somewhat nervous smile on his lips.

"Thank you," Finn says earnestly. He slips the jacket on, ignoring the burning on his back and smiles at the familiar fabric enveloping him. Funny, but he's gotten used to the garment — it's kind of comforting to have it back on.

"You're welcome."

Poe stares at him for a moment, a strange look in his eyes that Finn can't quite name. Then, he clears his throat and speaks, "Well, I should bring you to General Organa now, she asked to talk with you as soon as you felt better. Don't worry, though, she won't force you to do anything, she just wants to talk. But before that, BB-8 has something to show you, right, buddy?" The droid lets an excited beep after Poe nudges it with his feet. "That's right. I'll be right outside the door waiting for you."

Before Finn has any chance to ask him what does that mean, Poe is out.

He sighs, suddenly tired, and looks at BB-8. The mention of General Organa makes him feel uneasy — not that he has anything against her, Force, no, she seems extraordinary — but it's the topic of their conversation he's afraid of. Finn has no doubt she's going to ask about his further involvement with the Resistance and he has no idea what his answer's going to be. It's not like he figured it out himself yet.

"Go on then, droid," he says to BB-8, who chirps and sticks out a metal arm. A hologram pops up and Finn gasps.

The blue image is of him on a bed, unconscious. There, right next to him stands Rey and Finn finds himself smiling, watching as she hovers over his hologram-self. He feels calmer, somehow.

_We'll see each other again. I believe that._

Finn realizes that he believes that, too.

 

* * *

 

 

There's silence between them.

Rey stands still near the doorway, even as Luke sits on a chair, his eyes never leaving hers. Somehow, in the dim light of the hut, he looks older, more worn-out. His hair greyer, eyes less blue. It's hard to believe this is the man they want to save the galaxy.

Sounds of the island reach them through the window but don't quite manage to break the silence. Crashing waves, the excited chirping of those strange little creatures. She can hear them, yet she feels as if all of it is miles away.

Luke hasn't spoken a word since he invited her inside, and she's scared to talk first. Maybe not scared — maybe just anxious. Or maybe both.

"So," he finally says, startling her. "You've managed to find the map."

There's something akin to amusement in his voice. Rey shifts uncomfortably on her feet.

"The Resistance did. I just... stumbled upon it," she replies.

Luke lets out a rather unconvinced 'hmph' and motions her to sit on the chair across him. She hesitates. Leia told her about him and Rey knows some stories of Skywalker back from Jakku, though she doubts all of them are true, but the thing is, he's so different from the man she always imagined. In her imagination, there was never room for that sad, piercing gaze of his.

There was never this much suffering.

"Come on, kid," he sighs. "Sit down and we can talk. Though I doubt you'll get the answer you want."

Reluctantly, she complies. She drops her bag to the floor, more than aware of the lightsaber peeking out.

Luke stares at her expectantly.

"You know why I'm here," Rey finally speaks. "The Resistance needs you. The galaxy needs you."

"No," Luke says immediately, his voice stern. "They need a hero. That's not who I am anymore. I wish I could help you, believe me, I do, but I can't."

He sounds bitter and broken. So unlike the great Jedi that everyone painted him to be. Rey feels both a pang of sadness and irritation inside her.

"How can you say that?" She argues. "You've been hiding there for what? Years? You have no idea what's happening out there. What kind of terror the First Order has brought upon the galaxy. What do we need to take them down."

"I've seen what the Empire was capable of."

"So you know. But you've been there, back then, to stop them. You have to stop them now!"

She's barely aware of her voice rising. Luke watches her with the same defeated gaze.

"I can't."

"Why?" Before he has a chance to even say a word, she adds, "Why can't you? You _are_ Luke Skywalker, the Jedi. You destroyed the Empire! You're the only one who can stop the First Order!"

He laughs and Rey falls silent, taken aback by his reaction. There's no humor in his laugh, however, only bitterness.

"Is that why you came here? For the Jedi?" She nods, unsure. "Well, then, you won't find them here. The Jedi are gone. They have been for a long time now."

Rey stares at him in confusion.

"That's not true. You're here, aren't you? Leia said—"

"My sister has always put too much faith in me. I can't help her, or anyone else. Not anymore." He looks away as he says that.

For a moment, neither of them speaks. Rey sits there, anger burning inside her, even as she can't truly bring herself to be mad at Luke, not as she sees his suffering. But she came here for a reason. There has something that can be done, something to convince him.

"Look, kid—"

"No," Rey cuts him off, determined. She thinks of the feeling she had, barely minutes, maybe hours before, as she sensed Finn's awakening. That's the reason why she has to convince Luke. So Finn can be safe. So General Leia can be safe. So she doesn't have to see Kylo Ren hurt more people that are important to her. "This has to stop. I don't know why exactly you don't want to come back, but you have to know that if you don't, we're doomed. We're going to lose. There's no way for the Resistance to win this without you. They need you. _Leia_ needs you."

He shakes his head. "I told you, I can't. I failed her, and her son. I failed Han!" His voice trembles as he yells. "Don't you think I haven't felt it? That I don't know why you flew on the Falcon here? I failed them all and I'm not going to do so again!"

"That's not true, you—"

"Please, don't," he interjects. He looks at her, blue eyes shining with tears and something inside Rey snaps. There's so much vulnerability and pain. She doesn't need the Force to feel it but she thinks that if she tried to reach towards it, she would most certainly break. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

"Then tell me," Rey says eagerly, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"I..." Luke hesitates, clearly torn. He frowns and she's certain that he's going to back away, again.

He doesn't.

"I failed someone else even more. Someone dearest to my heart."

There's something in the way he looks at her, something that makes her fear what he's going to say next. A part of her doesn't want to know. The other part yearns for the answer.

"Who?" Rey asks, against her instincts.

Luke smiles wistfully. "I had a child. For years, I believed her to be gone, taken away from me by a cruel whim of the Force. I was wrong."

He takes a shaky breath before continuing, "It was you, Rey. I failed you."


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm truly sorry for how long it took me to write this chapter! i felt dispirited about star wars in last few weeks (mainly because of TLJ) but i think i'm good now and back to writing. hopefully you enjoy it! this chapter is longer than the previous ones, so buckle in :^)

When Finn emerges from his quarters, there is a look of newly found determination on his face and Poe lets out a breath of relief. He doesn't dare to assume this indeed means that Finn will be staying with the Resistance but he allows himself to _hope_. Poe would be lying if he said that he didn't learn to care for him a great deal, even in the short time they have known each other. The idea of Finn leaving makes him uneasy, heavy weight settling in the pits of his stomach.

For now, here they are, standing arm to arm in the Command Centre. Poe watches as Leia greets Finn and exchanges few pleasantries with him, ever grateful. Though Finn tries to gently brush her off, saying he "really didn't do that much", the General is having none of it, calling him the hero of the Resistance. She jokes that in the old, Rebellion days, they'd throw a medal ceremony and Finn looks absolutely mortified. It's only out of solidarity that Poe doesn't burst out laughing.

Finally, Leia's smile falters and she straightens herself. She puts on her general face, as Poe likes to call it, and that's how he knows that they're back in the war meeting.

"Now, as much as I'd love to joke some more, I'm afraid we have some more urgent matters to discuss," her voice is grave. "Finn, I'd like you to know, we won't be pressing you about joining us. This decision is entirely up to you. If you decide to leave, we'll provide you with some necessities, though I doubt we can spare much under current circumstances."

Poe risks stealing a fleeting glance at Finn. His face, usually an open book, is completely blank. Something twists inside Poe's belly and he quickly looks back at the General.

"Thank you, General," Finn says quietly. Leia nods.

"It's the least we can do for you. Since you're not part of the Resistance, technically I shouldn't be speaking to you about next thing I have to tell you but," there's a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, " _if_ you decide to join us, I'll be spared from going over the details again. Plus, I'd like your opinion on this."

Poe's interest is piqued by her words. He realizes that he hadn't been on a meeting with Leia in days because of the Starkiller, evacuation procedures and whatnot. She must have received some vital information regarding the First Order if she's counting on Finn's experience.

"Of course," Finn replies.

Leia seems satisfied by his response and inserts a databank in the console between them. A holoimage of Star Destroyer pops up, bigger and more terrifying than Poe has ever seen. Next to him, Finn lets out a gasp.

"This is Supremacy," Leia says, "First Order's flagship. Snoke himself commands the vessel. It's roughly twenty times the size of a regular Star Destroyer."

Poe's head snaps towards her, shock evident on his face. " _What_?"

She gives him a reprimanding look for interrupting and Poe looks down, abashed. He murmurs a quiet "sorry".

"It appears scary but till now, Supremacy's function was purely to look intimidating. However, we have received some troubling news recently." She clicks something on the console and the image zooms in on the central part of the ship. It's a simple, computer-generated diagram. Means nobody had a chance to acquire the real plans, Poe realizes. "According to our intelligence, the First Order is in the finishing stages of installing a hyper-space tracking device on the ship."

Silence falls upon the room as Leia's words sink in. Poe's head is spinning at the weight of the information she just gave them — hyper-space _tracking device_? How is that even possible? How long have they been planning this?

With dread setting in his bones, Poe suddenly understands what such device means for the Resistance. The First Order could wipe them out in a matter of _hours_.

"I've been on Supremacy. Once, back in the training," Finn speaks up, his voice holding a slight tremble to it. Poe glances at him but his gaze is completely focused on the holoimage. "I never knew that... I had no idea they even had such plans..."

Leia shakes her head, sadness marking her features.

"You couldn't have known. This was top-tier information. Many of our agents died to get it through."

Poe notes Finn clenching his fists and is overcome with the urge to hold his hand. Instead, he rests his hands on the console, chastising himself for being silly.

"So, what do we do about it?"

Both the General and Finn look at him, surprise on their faces.

"We can't do much now, I'm afraid," Leia says. "Not without proper plans of the device or the ship itself. Our only course of action is to infiltrate Supremacy and sabotage the device. That's actually what I wanted to consult you about, Finn. I know I'm asking for a lot, but if you could map out what you remember about the ship's layout, that would help us greatly."

Next to Poe, Finn nods vigorously, his gaze steely as he raises his eyes to meet the General.

"I can do it. I don't know everything, but I know the main routes. They had few off-limits areas so if we rule out Supreme Lead... Snoke's chambers, we can estimate where is the room with the device."

Leia smiles at Finn. Before she can thank him, however, he adds, "Actually, General, if I may... I think I'm your best shot at this. I know how the First Order works. If someone was to infiltrate the ship, I think I should join them."

Poe's heart skips a beat at Finn's request. He sees that it's a sensible one and that Leia would be a fool to not take his offer but in his mind, he screams at her not to. It's a suicide mission, even by his standards. He tries to make eye contact with Finn but he refuses to look at him, focused on the General. Sweat trickles down Poe's neck.

"That is very generous of you, Finn, but I'd rather not have you make such a decision rashly. We'll discuss it further soon." Poe lets out an audible breath. "Thank you, though. When the time for such mission comes, your name will be on the top of the list." And just like that, his heart sinks again.

"Now, as for the device itself... I'll be frank with you. We know close to nothing. We have already assembled a team which works on the technological aspect of it but without any previous knowledge, they're basically wandering in the dark. We have no idea how long the finishing stages of installing it will take, or if it can be started right afterward. Our only chance is to destroy it."

Suddenly, a memory pops up in Poe's mind, refreshed by the recent encounter in the medbay. An image of a young girl with a wide smile, embracing her older sister. The Ticos. Hope blooms in his chest.

"General? I think we have someone on board who could know a thing or two about hyper-space tracking," he speaks up. Leia stares at him, her expression serious but there's a spark in her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"There's a mechanic, her name is Rose Tico. Her sister, Paige, is with the bombers and—"

"Let's get to the point, Dameron, shall we?"

Poe can feel his cheeks warming up but Leia is smiling at him, her tone teasing. He swears he hears Finn chuckle quietly. "Of course, General, sorry. Paige said that Rose is fascinated with the prospect of hyper-space tracking and has spent a lot of time researching and studying it. I know it's a reach, assuming she knows even a fraction of what the First Order does, but—"

Leia shakes her head. "Not at all," she cuts him off. "Go on, then. Find Mechanic Tico and bring her to us."

* * *

 

 

Rey stares at Luke across the table. Her heart thuds loudly in her ears, covering any other sounds.

He stares back, eyes bluer than she's ever seen. _Thump_. There are tears shining in them. _Thump._ He's Luke Skywalker, the Jedi Master, the hero, the myth. _Thump._ He had a child. _Thump._ He **has** a child. _Thump._ It's her.

Suddenly, she feels as if she can't breathe anymore. It's as if quadanium steel rings are closing on her neck, stopping the flow of air inside. She has to get away, away from his sad gaze, from the weight of his words. She needs to run.

"No. That's not true." The words leave Rey's mouth without her permission. Suddenly, she stands up, the chair she was sitting on thrown to the ground.

"Rey, please—"

Luke reaches towards her with his arm but she steps backward, hitting her leg on the chair. She barely feels it.  

"No. No, this isn't happening," Rey mutters quietly, trying to convince herself rather than him.

She looks at Luke one last time, notes the heartbreak evident on his face and decides that she can't stand it. There are many things she has expected coming here but none of them came even close to this. She would never dare—

How could she think—

To expect _that_ —

Rey shakes her head. She storms out, ignoring Luke calling her name, pleading for her to come back inside. Ignoring the wetness on her cheeks and the pain in her chest.

She has no idea where she's going, really. There is a fleeting moment when Rey thinks about taking the Falcon and flying somewhere far, far away where no one could find her. She also knows that it's ridiculous and she has people depending on her now — people she cares about. As much as it pains her, she knows she has to stay.

With Luke Skywalker.

The words he spoke in the hut still ring in her head. A part of her repels them, tries to bury them somewhere deep down. The other part lets them in, feeling as if something finally clicked into place. She knows that this other part is the one she's scared of, of the raw power that it bears inside, threatening to take over her. The fact that it wants to embrace the truth, almost like a voice that whispers _that's what you always wanted, what you yearned for..._

It makes her want to scream.

Anger flows through her veins as she ventures deeper into the island. There's something that is almost dangerous about it, something which reminds her of Starkiller and the burning rage fuelling her among the trees. A need to stop the pain by inflicting it. It's terrifying.

Rey comes to a sudden stop on a clearing with a small pond in the middle. Her chest heaving, she looks around, takes in the surroundings she found herself in. This part of the island seems so different from the places she's seen before — it's darker, somehow. Quiet and mysterious, the sun doesn't quite manage to shine through the mountain peaks around it. The air feels strange too, cold as it enters her mouth, its chill licking her sweaty skin. She feels almost as if she's intruding but what, she has no idea.

A ferocious scream cuts through the silence, echoing through the clearing. It takes a moment for Rey to realize that the sound came from her. When she does, the rage — but most importantly, the sheer fear taking over her mind — seem to spill out. She lets out a near-growl as her fist connects with a nearest rock, pain shooting up her arm. The power surges beneath her skin and she feels, she _knows_ that if she reaches for it now, it will come alive under her will. Ready to destroy.

She doesn't really know if the anger is directed at Luke. It's all vague and messy in her head, as Rey summons the memories of Jakku's desert, of how she used to watch the sky at night, wondering whether her family would come back for her or not. Whether they were still alive, even. If they still cared.

The answer she got was not the one she expected.

As all those emotions raise within her, her surroundings begin to change. She takes a deep breath, panicked, when suddenly darkness emerges. Then, the island of Ahch-to is no more — its place taken by black, shiny walls and artificial light filling the corridor. Instead of the fresh, earthy scent, she can now smell sharp disinfectant and wrinkles her nose in displeasure before realizing where she is. When she does, fear grips at Rey's heart.

No. No, this can't be it, she can't be back there—

A movement at the end of the corridor catches her eye. She watches with terror as a dark figure emerges from the shadows, black cape on their shoulders, face hidden underneath a helmet. Rey doesn't know whether it's fear or rage that flood her body then. Perhaps it's both.

" _You._ "

The disfigured voice speaks, a hint of surprise marking the word. She feels sick.

Her first instinct, the one from a young girl who had to survive on Jakku, tells her to turn around and run, run into the darkness behind her back. For nothing can be as horrible as the creature standing in front of her, as her hatred running through her veins as she watches him.

Rey silences that instinct.

Instead, she yells.

It's not a human sound, not really — the _NO!_ that leaves her mouth is nothing but animalistic, closer to a howl than a scream. The figure in front of her hesitates and she takes that opportunity, charging towards him. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Rey is aware of the fact that she's unarmed but that doesn't stop her. With the power threatening to spill out, she knows that her fists will be enough.

She strikes, but instead of connecting with the helmet, her arm cuts through the air. As the walls around her crumble, she loses her balance and stumbles forward, landing on her knees. Rey takes a shuddering breath. Suddenly, she's in the dark corridor no more, the island's scenery stretching before her eyes once more, grass staining her pants. She tries to understand what just happened and fails.

It's then when Rey realizes just how exhausted she is. Whether it's the fault of whatever she just witnessed or the combined events of the day, she has no idea, but her lids feel heavy, the wind bringing a sweet promise of rest to hear ears. She fights it with all her might, to no avail.

Unconscious, Rey falls to the ground.

 

* * *

 

 

After Poe all but runs out from the room in search of the mechanic, silence falls upon Finn and General Organa. She's watching him, curiously but not unkindly and he fidgets under her gaze. He's overly aware of the proposition he made, of the fact that he basically just gave his life to the Resistance. It scares him, but what scares him even more is how easily it came to him. Almost as if there was no other option and he wasn't considering going after Rey barely hours earlier. Yet, as he stood in the Command Centre next to Poe, signing up to infiltrate Snoke's ship, it simply felt right.

Finn thinks that the General is about to say something, her mouth opening, but he doesn't hear any of it as suddenly, pain explodes in his head. He stumbles onto the console and grabs it, trying to steady himself. The world before his eyes is spinning and Finn takes a deep breath, hoping to calm down. It doesn't work.

His head throbs, a dull pain going all the way down his spine and because of it, the scar on his back flares up too. A burning sensation overcomes him. Finn thinks he can hear Leia's worried voice over it all, muffled as if he was underwater, but he can't be sure. The only thing he knows is the pain, and hatred, and so much fear. It overwhelms him.

" _NO_!"

A voice screams in his mind, loud as thunder. He lets out a hiss of pain, barely managing to stay on his feet. Then, ever so slowly, it begins to stop. Finn takes a shaky breath, his arms trembling on the console. It's a strange experience — he knows that he's in the Command Centre, General Organa next to him, but at the same time, he feels like he's somewhere else. Somewhere old and quiet, with the smell of ocean and...

Rey.

Finn has no idea _how_ , but it's her. It's her emotions that he felt just moments ago, their connection that somehow triggered the pain. The thought makes him dizzy as he comes to his senses.

"Finn? Are you alright?"

Leia's face comes into focus and he realizes she's standing next to him, her hand warm and comforting on his shoulder. She watches him closely, concern in her eyes.

"I'm—"

The urge to lie and pretend that everything is okay, as he had to when he was in the First Order, almost overcomes him. When he looks into General's dark eyes, however, Finn feels a sense of trust between them.

"I'm not sure. Not really, I think. No," he finally says and Leia nods. She doesn't mock him, on the contrary, she treats him with care and respect. Not for the first time, Finn is reminded of just how different the Resistance is from the First Order.

"Do you need to sit down?"

Finn shakes his head, even though this action makes the world spin a little. He's too focused on whatever happened just now to care, though.

"Alright." Leia takes her hand off his shoulder but remains close. "Can you tell me what happened, then?"

He ponders on her question for a moment. Finn isn't really sure himself what that was or how to explain it. All he knows is that it had to do with Rey, which only makes him grow worried for her. Did _she_ somehow reach to him through the Force? After all, Poe said she went to search for Luke Skywalker and it included some Force business, as he called it. But that would mean that Rey is Force-sensitive. Is she?

Finn looks into Leia's eyes. So far, she's shown him nothing but kindness and proved herself to be a great leader. He sees no reason not to tell her.

"I wish I knew," he starts. "It was... strange, I've never experienced something like that. There was pain at first, my head and back hurt but then there was something else, too. I felt fear and anger." Finn pauses, waiting for Leia to laugh at him, but she doesn't. She's listening intently to his every word. "Just before it ended, it was almost as if I was in two places at once. I was here, on the ship with you, but I was also somewhere else, near an ocean. I think... I think Rey was there, with me. Or I with her."

Finn only realizes he's anxious about her response when he stops talking. If the General finds his words ridiculous, she doesn't show it. The seconds pass by without her saying anything and Finn begins to worry. Then, she smiles, though her eyes seem sad.

"I think I know what just happened. When you came, I have suspected it but I had no way of being certain... What you just experienced was some sort of Force connection," Leia explains and Finn nods. He expected that.

"So that means Rey really is Force-sensitive, huh?"

Leia seems amused at his question.

"She is. But if you have heard her, then so are you."

"I— what?"

Finn stares at the General with wide eyes. Is she making fun of him? She has to be, there's no way he can be Force-sensitive. He's an ex-stormtrooper, for crying out loud!

"I know it must sound ridiculous to you," she says, softly. "It did to me as well, many years ago, when my brother told me about it. But think about it, Finn. Think about the things you knew, despite not being able to confirm them. Search your feelings. Embrace them."

He's thrown back to Takodana, to the yellow ship he was boarding, ready to flee to the Outer Rim. Finn remembers hearing the screams vividly and then looking up to the sky, only to see the planets getting destroyed by Starkiller's power. He remembers how it felt to hold the lightsaber in his hand in the snowy forest, the weapon coming to life in the palm of his hand. Finally, he thinks of today, of how somehow he sensed that Rey was alright after waking up.

His thoughts must reflect on his face because Leia nods, a satisfied smile on her face.

"But how is that possible?" Finn asks before he can stop himself. "I'm not some... Jedi or anyone like that. I used to be a stormtrooper. I'm not some kind of a mythical hero."

"Aren't you?" Leia replies without missing a beat and he frowns. "We managed to destroy the Starkiller thanks to you, Finn. The Force works in mysterious ways. It's best not to overthink that."

Finn doesn't know what to say. His head is spinning from the weight of the information that Leia told him. Barely weeks ago, he was just FN-2187, nothing but a pair of hands to hold a blaster. A promising one, yes, but that was about it. To escape the First Order and help the Resistance was enough of a shock to his system. Learning that he's Force-sensitive?

That's another level of madness altogether.

"So what now? Can I learn how to use it?"

Even after he asks the question, it feels surreal. He's on the Resistance's command ship, asking General Leia Organa if he can learn the Force. Finn can hardly wrap his head around it.

"If you'd like to, yes. I can teach you what Luke showed me, though I must warn you, I never received a full Jedi training. You will have to wait for my brother for that part."

He nods absentmindedly. Leia has an understanding look on her face and Finn wonders how the sister of the legendary Jedi Master doesn't end up as a Jedi as well. Perhaps that's something he could ask her. Some time, when there's no threat from the First Order looming over them.

"General?"

"Yes?"

Finn clears his throat. "If it's possible, I'd like this to stay between us. For now, at least."

Leia raises her eyebrow. In that moment, Poe comes into the room, dark-haired girl right behind him.

She makes no further comment and smiles knowingly. "Of course, Finn. Now, how can you help us, miss Tico?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and the plot thickens


End file.
